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Neige Blanche Set For Marathon Trip In Monday’s Astra Stakes

Trainer Leonard Powell, him self a French native, will send out like favorite Neige Blanche (white snow) a 5-year-old French-bred mare, in Monday's Grade 3, $125,000 Astra Stakes at Santa Anita. For older fillies and mares with a hillside start at a marathon 1 1/2 miles on turf, the Astra has attracted a field of five.

A winner of the G3 Santa Barbara Stakes going the same distance five starts back on May, 2021, Neige Blanche has maintained a consistent form, winning an ungraded stakes at 1 3/8 miles on turf three starts back on Aug. 14 at Del Mar, and winning her most recent assignment, the G3 Red Carpet Handicap at a mile and three eighths on turf Nov. 25.

A winner of three of her six starts in her native France, Neige Blanche has won three of her nine stateside starts with Powell, including winning three out of six last year and a career-best $204,168. Owned by Madaket Stables, LLC, Laura DeSeroux, Marsh Naify and Mathilde Powell, Neige Blanche took the Red Carpet in gate to wire fashion but has also proven effective stalking the pace in marathon scenarios. With an overall mark of 15-6-0-3, she's the leading money earner in the field with $315,280 and will be ridden for the seventh consecutive time by Juan Hernandez.

California-bred Reiwa, a winner of two consecutive allowance races on Oct. 30 and Nov. 20 at Golden Gate Fields, comes off a fourth place finish in the ungraded Miss America Stakes going a mile and one sixteenth on Dec. 12. Trained by Jonathan Wong, Reiwa, a 5-year-old mare by the El Prado stallion James Street, is 18-4-5-0 overall and will be looking for her first stakes win with Umberto Rispoli up.

THE GRADE 3 ASTRA WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 9 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

Neige Blanche—Juan Hernandez—124
Disappearing Act—Flavien Prat—120
Frose—Mario Gutierrez—120
Reiwa—Umberto Rispoli—120
Scherzo—Kyle Frey–120

First post time on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday is at 12:30 p.m. In addition to holiday racing, there will be one dollar beers, sodas and two dollar hot dogs offered through the afternoon. Admission gates will open at 10:30 a.m.

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Maker Has Strength In Numbers For Pegasus World Cup Turf

Especially when it comes to major turf stakes, trainer Mike Maker believes in the power of numbers. In that regard, he's hoping to get as many as four horses into the 12-horse starting gate for Gulfstream Park's $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) Jan. 29.

While last year's third-place finisher, Cross Border, and multiple graded-stakes winner Field Pass are among the original invitees to the 1 1/8-mile grass race, the Maker-trained Atone and Flavius await on the also-eligible list.

Maker is particularly hoping that Atone, second in Gulfstream Park's Fort Lauderdale (G2) Dec. 18 behind Pegasus Turf invitee Doswell, gets in the field. Owner Three Diamonds Farm could have some say-so in Atone's destiny, as it also owns Field Pass and Cross Border.

“I'd sure be disappointed if he doesn't make it into the body,” Maker said. “He's run well every time we've had him. Before we had him, he had some behavior issues and they gelded him. That seemed to work. I'm really high on that horse.”

Kirk Wycoff of Three Diamonds purchased Atone for $130,000 at Fasig-Tipton's horses of racing age sale last July. After an initial sixth place, the son of Spendthrift Farm's stallion sensation Into Mischief sported two wins and a second in three New York allowance races before making the Fort Lauderdale only his second stakes appearance.

“He's just improved, holds his weight really well,” Maker said. “It seems like he's getting better each race.”

Field Pass comes into the Pegasus off a victory in Del Mar's Seabiscuit (G2), his fifth graded victory at five different tracks. The Maryland-bred son of Lemon Drop Kid owns two additional stakes among his eight career victories, including Gulfstream Park's 2020 Dania Beach on turf.

Maker said Field Pass will definitely run in the Pegasus Turf. He called the Three Diamonds trio “all classy horses. Atone is an up-and-comer. Cross Border, you could say that it seems like he's been running forever. Field Pass, he's won a stakes in California, won a stakes in Kentucky. He's won on the [Polytrack] at Woodbine and Turfway. He's won a stakes in Maryland. At Gulfstream.”

Three Diamonds has the option of keeping Cross Border with Maker's division at Turfway Park, which has stakes for older horses in February and April 2 over its all-weather Tapeta surface. Cross Border, an 8-year-old millionaire, won Turfway's $100,000 Prairie Bayou Stakes in his last start. Cross Border won last summer's Bowling Green (G2) at Saratoga before taking third in the Sword Dancer (G1).

“He ran third in the race last year, so he deserves his chance, too,” Maker said of the Pegasus Turf. “He's an old classy veteran who loves Saratoga and always runs well at Gulfstream. He had some tough luck last year in the Pegasus but still managed to run up for third.”

The stable's fourth Pegasus Turf contender is Flavius, purchased for $230,000 by Michael Iavarone from Juddmonte Farms at Keeneland's November sale. Flavius has yet to start for Maker but has four strong workouts at Gulfstream for his new barn. Flavius is graded-stakes placed with his biggest victory Kentucky Downs' $750,000 Tourist Mile in 2020. He was fifth in the same race in 2021, with the stakes promoted to a Grade 3 worth $1 million and renamed the WinStar Mint Million.

“His works have been very good,” Maker said. “We've worked him with some good horses and he's held his own, galloping out. His hair, weight, I'm very pleased with his appetite, his energy level, everything is doing well.”

The 7-year-old Flavius, who was previously trained by Chad Brown after starting his career in Ireland, has not raced farther than 1 1/16 miles since finishing a close fourth in the 2019 Fort Lauderdale, whose 1 1/8 miles is the same as the Pegasus Turf. However, he won a minor stakes at 1 1/4 miles in Ireland in his third start.

“I'd like to get all four in,” Maker said of his Pegasus Turf contenders.

Maker ran two horses in the Pegasus Turf each of the past two years, including winning with Zulu Alpha in 2020.

He also said that Endorsed will run in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) if he can get in that field. Endorsed, a $100,000 claim at Saratoga last August, has raced four times for owner Mark Breen and Maker, all in one-turn races but closing well. He was a very good second in Gulfstream Park's seven-furlong Mr. Prospector (G3) Dec. 11 in his last start.

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Dubai Carnival: Secret Ambition Tops Round 1 Of Al Maktoum Challenge

The 19th edition of the Dubai World Cup Carnival, the Dubai Racing Club's annual showpiece event, gets underway with an attractive seven-race card at Meydan Racecourse on Friday, Jan. 14.

With a range of new incentives in place, the eight-week extravaganza, which will culminate in the $30.5 million Dubai World Cup meeting on 26 March, has the potential to be one of the best in its history.

The Carnival gets underway with the opening rounds of the 1600 meter (one-mile) (Dirt) Al Maktoum Challenge series, for Thoroughbreds and Purebred Arabians and its main support race, the 1600m (Turf) Group 2 Cape Verdi for fillies and mares.

The card also features the first running of the Jumeirah Classic Trial; the first event in the exciting four-race Jumeirah Series which is dedicated to the Classic generation.

A full field of 14 thoroughbreds, many of them boasting big-race aspirations, will contest Round 1 of the Al Maktoum Challenge, a race of major significance and potential Dubai World Cup implications.

Arguably one of the best renewals of a race that was first run in 1994, the Group 2 contest has attracted the likes of 2021 Godolphin Mile (G2) winner Secret Ambition, Dubai World Cup fourth Hypothetical and Salute The Soldier, the Bahrain-owned gelding who won the second and third rounds of the series last season.

The full depth of the contest is driven home by the presence of two veteran former Al Maktoum Challenge winners, Kimbear (Round 1 2020) and Capezzano (Round 3, 2019), and four-time Meydan dirt scorer Thegreatcollection.

Former Godolphin-trained Imperial Empire is unbeaten in two starts this season for in-form handler Bhupat Seemar and will have the services of three-time Dubai World Cup-winning rider Frankie Dettori, who makes his highly anticipated seasonal debut in the UAE on Friday.

Seemar, who warmed up for the Carnival by saddling five winners on last week's card, is mob-handed with five contenders in Secret Ambition (Tadhg O'Shea), Imperial Empire, Kimbear (Antonio Fresu), Kafoo (William Buick) and Avant Garde (Richard Mullen).

Assessing the chances of his quintet, the trainer said: “This is the best Al Maktoum Challenge we've had in years. All five are in good form and ready to run. We have a nice mix of old pros and newer horses.

“Secret Ambition has a good draw (Stall 5), is fit, healthy, and good to go.

“Kafoo is drawn 10 but is unbeaten this season. He's doing everything right. I only hope inexperience doesn't catch him because he's definitely got the talent to be up there to compete against this class of horses,” he added.

“Imperial Empire is a Dubawi and is a half-brother to a Group 1 winner, so hopefully he should show up.

“Kimbear ran a good race on his debut for us but unfortunately he's drawn a bit on the outside (Stall 11), while Avant Garde is doing really well. This is his minimum trip, he would rather go over a mile and quarter, but it's a good place to start him.”

O'Shea backs Secret Ambition

UAE champion jockey Tadhg O'Shea has already ridden 30 winners this season, with half of them coming at Meydan, and the popular Irish rider said that he was looking forward to mixing it up with the best jockeys in the Al Maktoum Challenge when he rides the international favorite, Secret Ambition.

“His form speaks for itself and though he runs after a lengthy layoff he should run a very good race,” said the rider. “Whatever he does he will improve for it.”

Champion UAE handler Doug Watson sampled success in the 2020 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 with Kimbear and is set to saddle three contenders – Midnight Sands,, Golden Goal and Thegreatcollection.

He commented: “They're all doing well at home. We were a bit disappointed with Midnight Sands last time but it was his first run after a long lay-off. He's been training well since.

“Thegreatcollection and Golden Goal are both in great shape. They both ran well recently after being off for the track for eight to nine months. It looks like they've come on so we're hoping they all run well.”

Emirati handler Ahmad bin Harmash sends out Listed Dubai Creek Mile runner-up and former Godolphin galloper Eastern World.

“He had his first start on dirt recently and he ran very well, so it looks like can handle the surface,” said Bin Harmash. “He's a new horse who we got at the September sale, but he is well bred and is a half-brother to Thunder Snow. I think he will run well.”

Godolphin seek to extend dominance

The 1600m Cape Verdi (G2), a race named after Godolphin's 1998 1000 Guineas heroine, has been won by the stable on no less than nine occasions and Soft Whisper looks primed to continue that trend on Friday.

Trainer by Saeed Bin Suroor, who has collected five Cape Verdi trophies over the years, Soft Whisper was an impressive winner of the UAE 1000 Guineas last season before having two starts at Newmarket in the UK. She won well over a mile but perhaps did not stay over an extended 2,000 metres in her subsequent outing in October.

Bin Suroor, an eight-time champion trainer at the Carnival, is looking for his first win of the year and believes that Soft Whisper (Frankie Dettori) can get him off the mark by taking out the Cape Verdi.

“She ran well last year, here in Dubai and also when we took her back to England. She won Listed races on both dirt and turf,” he said. “This looks like it is the right race to start her four-year-old campaign as she has been pleasing us at home.”

Bin Suroor also saddles three-time UK scorer Stunning Beauty under young English rider Hector Crouch, who is seeking a first Pattern race success for the Emirati handler.

“Stunning Beauty showed better form in the UK last season and has been going well at home, so I'm hoping for a nice performance over a trip that suits,” said Bin Suroor.

Watson's Mnasek a threat

The main threat to the Bin Suroor pair appears to be the Doug Watson-trainer Mnasek, winner of the 2021 UAE Oaks (G3) on dirt. She makes her turf debut with stable jockey Pat Dobbs in the saddle.

The last three renewals of the Cape Verdi have been taken out by two-time Epsom Derby-winning handler Charlie Appleby who relies on Wedding Dance (William Buick). She won her most recent start on the all-weather at Wolverhampton in November.

Appleby said: “Wedding Dance improved from her first to second run last season, winning nicely at Wolverhampton on the latter occasion.

“The plan was always to bring her out to Dubai afterwards and we have been pleased with the way she has been training out here. She will potentially come forward for this, but we feel that she is ready to have a run and should be competitive.”

The Carnival kicks off at 6.00 pm (UAE time) with the eight-runner Purebred Arabian Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R1, Presented By The Pointe. The line-up includes the last two winners of this, RB Money To Burn and Brraq, as well as exciting G2 Bani Yas winner RB Rich Lyke Me.

Exciting series for Classic generation

Elsewhere on the card, the Jumeirah Classic Trial, Presented By Palm Jumeirah, has drawn eight promising three-year-olds, led by Bin Suroor's Home City (Frankie Dettori). He comes into the race off the back of a promising second in a 1400 metre nursery at Goodwood last October.

Appleby is represented by Sovereign Prince, who was also successful in the UK last season, winning at Epsom on his most recent start in September.

Another interesting contest is the Listed Dubai Racing Club Classic, Presented By The View At The Palm, over 2,400 metres on turf.

Appleby's Wilko, winner of the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom in April last year, and Bin Suroor's Passion And Glory, third in the G1 Grosser Preis Von Baden in September, look the pick of the 16 runners.

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Classy Indian Peak Headlines Saturday’s Unusual Heat Turf Classic

Classy and plenty versatile, Indian Peak heads a field of eight older horses going a mile and one eighth over the Santa Anita turf in Saturday's $200,000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic, presented by City National Bank.

A winner of last year's Cal Cup Derby on the Santa Anita main track, Legacy Ranch's Big Fish gets back with statebreds on Saturday and appears a good fit as he tries the Classic distance for the first time.

Owned and bred by Alfred Pais, Margot's Boy, although winless in nine starts last year, had four seconds and a proven affinity for the local lawn as he seeks his first stakes win.

Originally scheduled for turf, the Grade 3 San Gabriel Stakes was moved to the main track due to recent rain on Dec. 26 and although he was attentive to the early pace, Indian Peak simply didn't fire, finishing a distant fourth at 5-1.

Trained by Ruben Alvarado, Indian Peak, a 5-year-old gelding by Comic Strip, out of the Roar mare Ms. Booty, was a big third, beaten three quarters of a length two starts back going 1 1/16 miles on turf in the G2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar Nov. 27.

A winner of the mile and one eighth turf Snow Chief Stakes here at age three in June, 2020, Indian Peak is 5-2-1-0 over the course and he comes off his best year in terms of money-won, banking $170,932 from an 11-2-1-1 mark in 2021.

Owned by Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber, Indian Peak, who won the California Flag Handicap three starts back going down the hillside turf at about 6 ½ furlongs on Oct. 17, will likely attend the early pace as he seeks his seventh win from 23 overall starts.

Trained by David Hofmans, Big Fish, a 4-year-old gelding by hot sire Mr. Big, comes off a fourth place run going a mile and one sixteenth on synthetic Tapeta in the G3 Berkeley Handicap Nov. 27 at Golden Gate Fields.

Although winless in three tries over the Santa Anita turf, Big Fish has two wins from six turf tries, including an ungraded stakes win going a mile on turf at Del Mar as a juvenile. With an overall mark of 12-3-2-1, Big Fish has the credentials to be a major factor in the Classic.

A sharp second, beaten a neck in a one mile allowance on the main track here Dec. 4, the Craig Lewis-trained Margot's Boy, who was ninth the Classic a year ago, has three wins from eight tries over the course and rates a fighting chance with Juan Hernandez back aboard. A 5-year-old gelding by top California-based sire Clubhouse Ride, Margot's Boy is 21-3-5-3 with earnings of $260,946.

THE UNUSUAL HEAT TURF CLASSIC WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 6 of 10 Approximate post time 2:30 p.m. PT

Whooping Jay—Joe Bravo–120
Margot's Boy—Juan Hernandez—122
Aligato—Flavien Prat—120
Luvluv—Tyler Baze—120
Camino Del Paraiso—Ricardo Gonzalez—124
Big Fish—Umberto Rispoli—124
Ferrariano—Abel Cedillo–120
Indian Peak—John Velazquez—124

First post time for a 10-race card on Cal Cup Day, Saturday, is at 12 noon. Admission gates open at 10 a.m. The Unusual Heat Turf Classic presented by City National Bank, is on of five California-bred or sired stakes on Saturday.

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